I can't believe how expensive Uni is

bodmil

snugglepet20 wrote: »

I am not a student so it doesn't actually effect me either way! I just think it is unfair that our society will pay for someone who decides they cannot be bothered improving themself or getting a job but penalise students with masses of debt. (BTW I am not talking about everyone on benefit just those who are deliberately sponging). I would rather see tax money spent on investing in education for our country's future than paying for the fags and cider of some layabout.

But student's debt IS investment. The whole idea is that you come out with better skills that you would have otherwise and get a better job, hence earn more in the long run. Because so many are pushed to do uni as it's the 'done thing', few really look at what their course will lead them to in the future. It's easy if you're doing Medicine or Engineering etc, but the Business Studies and English students need the same direction and focus to get the resultant dosh.
Incidentally, I'd much rather my kid go off and study Surf Science absolutely determined and bloody minded that they will use it to develop a surf brand, than study Chemistry and come out with no clue of how to apply that to a job.

That said, I went to uni before the rise in fees so I'm probably a bit naive about just how much debt people have now as it was so easy for me.

melancholly

Lokolo wrote: »

How do they do it in USA? A lot of parents set up uni funds. Why can parents not do this here?

well yes, they could - if they knew from when their child was born that fees of such a high level were going to be there. we were promised as an election pledge in 1997 that there would be no tutition fees and then in 1998 there they were! not a long time to start saving. in the last decade the fees have tripled..... very hard to prepare long term when the goal posts keep moving!

Blacksheep1979

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Because, fortunately, we believe in encouraging people from low income families to go to university.

We also somehow have the idea that anyone, no matter their academic ability, should go to university....

Oldernotwiser

Blacksheep1979 wrote: »

We also somehow have the idea that anyone, no matter their academic ability, should go to university....

Agreed, but at least we don't give people scholarships just because they're good at baseball!

Blacksheep1979

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Agreed, but at least we don't give people scholarships just because they're good at baseball!

Sports bring huge revenue in the US for universities so don't really begrudge that - and it's not the government paying those scholarships

devildog

Thoroughly agree that too many are encouraged to go to university no matter what their academic ability. What I also have a problem with is the bursaries/grants etc. Students from low income families (let's say with good grades) would be entitled (for arguments sake) a full grant, uni bursary and with good grades more likely than not an achievement bursary so roughly could get approx just under £5,000 a year 'free' (very rough figures here) Now lets take someone from a higher income family (but not enougher higher income for Student Finance to want a contribution) The student could get a partial grant of a few hundred, no university bursary and no achievement bursary, so their balance is made up of repayable loans approx totalling the 'free' money that those from lower income families get(not forgeting that family is not required to contribute) How is that fair? Either way the student should leave uni with a degree and in theory be able to secure a good job and stand on their own two feet-why should one from a low income family have little debt to repay when one from a higher income family has a huge debt.
Yes I know about not having to pay it back until your earnings are over a certain level etc etc but it very much appears that those students from middle of the road income families are being put at a major disadvantage.